Shadow Education Minister David Pisoni met with South Australia’s Greek community at Flinders University last night, following his pledge of $1m for Modern Greek in South Australia’s primary schools.

Mr Pisoni announced this week that if a Liberal government is elected in next Saturday’s state election, the Flinders LOGOS Australian Centre for Hellenic Language and Culture would receive the funding to finalise its online program, provide scholarships for Modern Greek at Flinders and bring online Modern Greek courses to South Australia’s primary schools.

He said that he would also support the teaching of Greek through to year 12.

Professor Michael Tsianikas, Director of the LOGOS Centre, met with the State Member for Unley at the community event at Flinders’ Bedford Park campus, which was attended by dozens of local Greek Australians excited at the news.

He said the funding would be a major step towards South Australians being able to study Modern Greek from Year 1 right through to post-graduate level.

“Flinders University has already developed three years of study in Modern Greek at beginner level and has developed the first of three years at advanced,” he said.

“Three cultural topics on Greek history and culture in English are also available for all students.

“This extra funding would enable us to develop online courses so that Modern Greek is also offered every year at primary school.”

Professor Tsianikas said online models developed by Flinders University could eventually be used open up French, Italian, Spanish, and a range of Asian language study options, across Australia.